


Pandarus

by KSheenan10



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Matchmaking, Mutual Pining, Platonic Relationships, suspicious noah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29271768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KSheenan10/pseuds/KSheenan10
Summary: Pandarus-In Homer's Iliad he is portrayed as an energetic and powerful warrior, but in medieval literature he becomes a witty and licentious figure who facilitates the affair between Troilus and Cressida.ORElliot Stabler ends up playing matchmaker (and fears Olivia killing him for interfering) after having an interesting conversation with Noah Porter Benson.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Kudos: 64





	Pandarus

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I'm incapable of writing a fic WITHOUT Elliot (except for one). Shrugs.

It had been eight weeks, six days and one hour since Oliva Benson had come back into Elliot Stabler’s life. It had taken her five of those weeks to talk to him as she once used to. Like they were friends. The first three she had refused to talk to him at all unless absolutely necessary.   
Six and a half weeks in before she introduced him to her son, Noah. And wasn’t he still reeling from that information. Olivia had a son. He had wondered briefly about the child’s father until it had been revealed to him by Fin that the boy was in fact adopted.   
Fin had accepted Elliot being back, but the man had a feeling that if for some reason Olivia wanted Elliot to leave for good, Fin would back her up. Fair enough he supposed. He was the odd one out here. 

It had been an accident really. Olivia had some paperwork to drop off to Elliot and she had been on her way out to dinner with her son. Eli had shown up right after the two Bensons had. Immediately Noah latched on to the older boy. Despite being almost fourteen, Eli tolerated the eight year old fairly well teaching him some sort of clapping game.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* 

So here Elliot was after a baseball game sitting with his young teenager and Olivia’s son in a pizza parlor. Olivia was at work finishing up a case. Elliot relaxed in the booth amused that even though Noah seemed hesitant when it came to him, he was talking Eli’s ear off. Elliot heard mentions of Uncle Sonny and Aunt Amanda as well as Uncle Fin. It was nice, that the boy had family Elliot thought. He really hoped that one day the boy would consider himself, Kathy and Eli family. Both Olivia and Noah deserved that. 

Eli excused himself to go to the bathroom leaving Noah alone with Elliot. The boy fell quiet and stared at the man.   
“Are you married?” the boy asked. If Elliot didn’t know any better he’d describe Noah as being suspicious of him. Oh. The pieces fell into place. Elliot straightened up. So that’s why Noah seemed hesitant around him.   
“I am,” he answered. “To Eli’s mommy. Her name is Kathy.”   
Tension seemed to ease out of Noah’s shoulders as the boy nodded. “Good.”  
Elliot bit his lip so he didn’t burst into laughter. Did Noah really think he was here to take Olivia away from him?   
“Why is that?” Elliot asked softly, gently.   
Noah didn’t respond right away, although the wheels in his head were clearly turning. “Because I don’t want you to be my daddy,” he finally said softly.   
He almost didn’t ask. It really wasn’t his business, but his instincts were screaming at him. Then again sometimes his instincts led him astray.   
“Is there someone who you do want to be your daddy?” Elliot asked giving in. Olivia refused to talk about her personal life beyond Noah. He couldn’t help but wonder as he always had during the entire time they worked together. She, Olivia deserved someone who would treat her right.   
Noah nodded and then looked down at his pizza crust. 

Eli came back to the booth and the little boy’s attention was turned away from Elliot who kept thinking about what the boy had said. He had to admit he was a bit mystified as Olivia only ever talked about her coworkers and spent a lot of time at work. He didn’t see Fin or the ADA Carisi as being on Noah’s wish list for being Daddy. The few times he’d seen the boy interact with them he seemed perfectly content with calling them Uncle. Was there perhaps a teacher at school? One that Noah really liked? Or someone who helped out at the activities he was involved in? Kids did have pretty good instincts, most of the time, about adults so if there was someone that Noah thought of as being good for Olivia and him. Elliot shook his head. Not his business he reminded himself. Olivia was a grown woman. 

*************************************************************************************

The trio left and headed towards the precinct, Olivia having texted Elliot to drop Noah off there. Elliot grinned. It wasn’t his business but he couldn’t wait to share this conversation with her. Perhaps needle her a little bit about who she was hiding from him. His smile fell. Perhaps he shouldn’t though. It would hurt her to hear that Noah seemed to be sad at the fact that he didn’t have a father. 

They entered the building and headed up towards SVU. Elliot had just greeted Kat when he glanced down at the boy in time to see his eyes light up in a way he hadn’t seen in the few weeks he’d known him.

“Uncle Rafa!” the boy hurled himself at a man standing in the doorway of Olivia’s office. Elliot turned his head enough to see Fin watching the pair. He couldn’t quite read the expression on his face. Fin glanced at Elliot before shaking his head and resuming some paperwork. Eli threw himself into an empty chair by Amanda (Elliot was beginning to suspect a crush).   
Elliot made his way over to greet Olivia as her son began talking a mile a minute to the man he was still clutching onto.

“Can I talk to you for a sec?” Elliot quietly asked Olivia who moved her eyes away from her son. Uncle Rafa glanced at them.   
Olivia smiled reassuredly at them. “I’m just going to talk to Uncle Elliot for a moment, Noah,” she said. The boy didn’t seem to notice. 

Elliot gently shut Olivia’s office door. “I had an interesting conversation with your son today,” he said knowing she had to be told.   
She raised a brow at him.   
“Who is that man out there?”   
“What does that have to do with my son?” she asked. Her tone sounded almost defensive. 

Elliot crossed his arms and stared at Olivia. She sighed.   
“Rafael Barba. He was our ADA for nearly six years.”  
Elliot remained silent. It was his turn to raise a brow at her.   
“He was there when I adopted Noah. They were close before,” a pause, “before Rafael left.”   
“Your son asked me if I was married,” Elliot finally revealed. “I think,” he chuckled. “I think he thought I was trying to date you.” A grin started to form on Olivia’s face. “He seemed a lot happier when I told him about Kathy.”  
Elliot paused. 

“There’s more to this isn’t there,” the smile had started to slip off her face.   
“He told me that he didn’t want me to be his daddy. That he has someone else in mind for that role.”   
Olivia’s eyes flickered to the door and there was something about her body language. Anyone else looking at her wouldn’t have spotted it. But Elliot had always been good at reading her.   
“You’re in love with him,” Elliot stated. They both knew exactly who Elliot was talking about.   
“He left me,” she said, not looking at her former partner. “He left me and he left Noah. And now things aren’t the same as they were. I had thought before, that maybe,” she stopped, shaking her head before looking back at Elliot.   
“He’s not in love with me,” she said, anger and sadness in her voice. There were tears in her eyes now.   
“Liv,” Elliot moved to hug her and she clung onto him her face buried into his shoulder. 

“Olivia,” Rafael stopped in the doorway, hand still on the knob. “Sorry,” he muttered as he turned and shut the door behind him. Olivia pulled herself away from Elliot and wiped her face with a tissue. She forced a grin at Elliot. “I should probably take Noah home now,” she said. She grabbed her purse and moved to open her door.   
“Thank you for taking Noah to the baseball game and for pizza. Tell Kathy I said hi,” she turned and walked out of her office, Elliot following her and turning out the light. Noah was holding onto Rafael’s arm now.  
“Please,” he begged.   
“I don’t know,” Rafael began to say. He looked up at Olivia.   
“Mom can Uncle Rafa please come over for dinner?” he asked.   
Olivia let out a sigh. “Not tonight,” she began to say. “Perhaps on Friday?” The smile that had begun to slip from Noah’s face returned as he looked back at the man.   
“Please Uncle Rafa.”   
“Friday,” Rafael told the boy who finally released him. Olivia took Noah’s hand in hers.   
“We’ll see you Friday then,” she said before turning and walking out of the room. Rafael’s eyes followed the pair.   
Not in love with her my ass, Elliot thought rolling his eyes.   
“So Barba, something you wanted to talk to us about?” Fin finally asked.   
“What?” Rafael looked at Fin like he had three heads. Fin just stared back. “Oh!” Rafael turned slightly pink and began to leave, Amanda chuckling lightly as she began to pack up her stuff. 

*************************************************************************************

Eli appeared at his father’s side and the two trailed the former ADA out of the building. The entire time a thought was building in Elliot’s head. One that Olivia would shoot him for. But, he couldn’t help himself.   
“Hey Rafael,” he called to the man who was slightly ahead. They had just made it outside to the sidewalk. Rafael turned to look at Elliot.   
“Hey sit right here,” he told Eli who promptly did what his father asked, pulling out his cell phone as he did.   
“Elliot Stabler,” Rafael said eyeing the taller man. “You’re Liv’s old partner.”   
“I am. And you’re her former ADA. What happened between you two?”   
Rafael looked taken aback. “I don’t know what you mean.”  
Elliot chuckled. “See I don’t think that’s true. Something did happen. She told me that you left her.”  
Rafael’s face paled. “I made a mistake. I had to leave,” he said.   
“Olivia?”  
“No! It had nothing to do with her. I just couldn’t be around her. I wasn’t-“ the man stopped perhaps realizing he had said more than he meant to.   
“Wasn’t what?” Elliot pressed.   
“Wasn’t good enough for her.” 

Elliot nodded. “You’re in love with her.” He raised his hand. “I already know it’s the truth, don’t deny it.”   
“It doesn’t matter. She’s moved on.” Rafael muttered.   
“You realize when you walked into her office earlier she was crying in my arms right?”  
Rafael’s eyes shot to Elliot’s. 

“She was crying because of you. She’s in love with you. She told me as much. And Noah-“ Elliot stopped for a moment pressing on. “Noah told me earlier that he had someone in mind that he wished was his father. He didn’t tell me who, but he didn’t have to. That little boy loves you.”   
Rafael was staring at him now. “I-“  
“Take a couple of days. You’re going to dinner at theirs on Friday. Think about what you want to say to them.” Elliot advised. He stepped closer. “And if you break either of their hearts you will be dealing with me.”   
He turned and grabbing Eli left for home leaving the shell shocked lawyer behind him. 

It wasn’t until the following Sunday that Elliot saw Olivia and Noah again. Both with the biggest grins on their faces and both holding onto Rafael Barba.


End file.
